PHILADELPHIA, Penn - Tennessee State tight end Joe Bowens has been selected to the College Sports Journal Freshman All-American Team.

Bowens is one of only two tight ends on the team and one of only three players from the OVC to make the 63-man squad that represents the only all-freshman team in the FCS. The 63 players are representative of the 63 scholarships allowed to teams that compete in FCS.

The freshman from Greenville, S.C., had 28 catches, 348 yards and a pair of touchdowns. He was also selected to the OVC All-Newcomer Team in November.

The All-Freshman team was selected by a blue ribbon panel of FCS experts put together by College Sports Journal executive editor David Coulson and CSJ publisher and managing editor Chuck Burton. Coulson has 36 years of experience covering college football, including 21 seasons of following FCS and has served as the executive editor and managing partner of College Sporting News and the executive director for The Sports Network, running its national awards program from 2007-2009. He has had a hand in selecting honors teams at the FCS level since 2002 and is in the process of writing and compiling the first FCS encyclopedia.

During the 2012 season TSU went 8-3, the most wins in an 11 game schedule since 2001. The Tigers placed fifth in the OVC with a 4-3 record and were ranked as high as 17th in The Sports Network FCS Poll.

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